


Pick Me!

by halfmoonjisung



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Produce 101 AU, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:35:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27170486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halfmoonjisung/pseuds/halfmoonjisung
Summary: “Welcome to Produce 101 Season 8! The birth of a new top boy group will be decided by you, our National Producers! Your vote will decide who gets to have their dream debut, so make sure to vote for your boy!”Four trainees cross paths in a survival reality show all bearing the same goal that they win and succeed. However, when there are a total of one hundred and one contestants and only eleven of them can debut, with exhausting challenges, high stakes, and risky emotional attachments, the journey’s nothing but difficult.aka: a stray kids produce 101 au
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Kim Seungmin, Hwang Hyunjin/Lee Felix, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 51
Collections: SKZ Jukebox Fest Speed Round





	Pick Me!

**Author's Note:**

> title from PRODUCE 48's theme song, **Pick Me!**
> 
> [ ☆ ] i just wanna emphasize that the main characters of the story are the stray kids members! a lot of cameos will appear because well,,,, this premise requires A Lot of people but the main people of the story are stray kids!
> 
> [ ☆ ] no extensive knowledge about produce 101 is needed! if you haven’t watched it or heard of it, that’s okay hehe i try to explain it as much as i could in the fic.
> 
> [ ☆ ] there’s a reason this isn’t tagged as canon divergence! though some of the people and groups are real, they still don’t “reflect” their irl counterparts.
> 
> [ ☆ ] this is unnecessary but to those who are familiar with produce!! you might see me projecting ~certain ships~ onto the characters of this story :)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunho seems to get what he’s thinking, but he offers him a warm smile anyway. “I’m sure they’re rooting for you.”
> 
> “I hope they are,” Jisung answers truthfully. “I don’t want to let them down.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
> [ ☆ ] this is supposed to include the grade evaluation but it got ~longer~ than i intended and i need to pass it within the time i was allotted hehe
> 
> [ ☆ ] sixc is a thing here because i love them T____T  
> 

The idol industry has never been easy, even though people around the world seem to have the perception that it is.

Jisung always kept that in mind ever since he solidified his dream of becoming an idol. It’s also something his parents kept bringing up every time the conversation on the dining table drifts to the said topic. Although he doesn’t really have first hand experience when it comes to that, he still doesn’t doubt that statement, even after passing the audition for 19 ENT. 

He’s been training for a solid year now, mostly trying to improve his dancing skills. He’s always commended for his rap and vocals, so that’s really not much of a problem. However, despite the countless compliments and positive feedback he’s been receiving from the company, he still can’t help but feel doubtful about everything. Sure, they told him that he’s one of the greatest trainees they had, but they never really had that many trainees to begin with.

19 ENT is one of the smaller companies in Seoul, having debuted a few groups with only one of them at least making a big name in the country. Jisung only saw them a few times, even though they’re not as active as they were before. Gugudan is their company’s pride and glory, and if he’s being honest, the only group that really brings in the money. However, Gugudan is not as active as before, having only one comeback in six months, and Jisung thinks it won’t be too long until the twice a year becomes once a year, and the once a year becomes _none_ in a year. Kim Sejeong, the group’s center, has even made her debut as an actress already. Slowly, the girls are moving forward.

Jisung thinks his company knows this too, that’s why when Produce 101 announced that they will hold their eighth season, Chairman Lee has not wasted any time in gathering all his trainees to pick the best ones that will be sent to the show.

Of course, Jisung did not let this opportunity go to waste. Plus, he already knows he has an advantage. Trainers have often praised him for his rap and vocals, and that alone gives him leverage from other trainees. He already expected that he’ll be one of the trainees sent out to participate in the Produce 101 audition.

What he did not expect was for him to be the _only_ one that 19 ENT will send.

Sure, there’s pride in being considered the only trainee eligible to participate, but he’s watched the previous seasons. He knows how cruel and emotionally exhausting the entire show is, especially if you’re alone. You would need a strong will if you want to survive, and Jisung is not sure he’s quite there at that level yet.

Still, he doesn’t say these. He smiles as wide as he can when Chairman Lee calls him to the office and tells him that he’s going to participate in the eighth season of Produce 101, smiles as wide as he can when he contacts his parents through a video call as he’s packing things in his dorms, and smiles as wide as he can when he’s finally being evaluated by the preliminary panel.

“Why did you join?” The interviewer—Sunho, Jisung corrects in his mind, remembering their introduction a while ago—asks him.

Jisung is wary of the cameras everywhere, and it makes him nervous just the slightest. He knows he’s going to have to get used to it, knows that he should be careful with his words and actions (because god knows what they’ll do to him with the editing), and knows that he needs to make a good impression.

The smile is still on his face when he answers. “I want to be 19 ENT’s future.”

Sunho raises an eyebrow at him, but Jisung notes the small raise of the side of his lips. “19 ENT’s future?”

Jisung nod enthusiastically. “Yes.”

Sunho looks at his file. “Gugudan is from there.”

Jisung feels both pride and pressure in his chest. “Yes. They cheered me on when they found out I’m participating.”

He briefly recalls the semi-scripted filming they had back at the company, with Nayoung and Sejeong giving him advices and wishing him luck, even though that was the first time they ever really talked to him if you don’t count all the times they briefly ask him for the time or the current menu when they pass each other by. Jisung wonders if they will air that. He knows other companies with much more popular groups in their name are participating, so he bitterly thinks that his segment will only be added to fill in extra space in the episode.

Sunho seems to get what he’s thinking, but he offers him a warm smile anyway. “I’m sure they’re rooting for you.”

“I hope they are,” Jisung answers truthfully. “I don’t want to let them down.”

“Again, I am sure that you won’t do that,” Sunho beams at him before returning back to reading Jisung’s form.

Jisung gets a fleeting thought that they couldn’t have found a more perfect person for the job other than Sunho. Although his first appearance is intimidating, he is sincerely kind and constantly reassures trainees that they’re doing okay. He’s glad that the program somehow assigned him to Sunho, because he can genuinely relax around his presence without faking it.

Sunho makes an impressed sound before looking at him again. “It says here you’re both a rapper and a vocalist?”

“Yup!” Jisung answers proudly. “Though, if I’m going to have to choose one only, I’ll pick rap.”

“Amazing,” Sunho remarks, sounding like he really means it. “Another all rounder.”

Jisung chuckles nervously, scratching the back of his neck. “I still have to work on my dancing.”

Sunho shrugs. “You’ll learn. And I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t be here if you’re not good enough already. You’ll do well.”

Jisung truly appreciates the thought. “Thank you.”

“Well,” Sunho stamps something on his file before handing it to the lady beside them. “Best of luck to you, Han Jisung. I’m genuinely rooting for you. For all of you, actually. Whatever happens in this show, it’s extremely lucky to have you.”

If Jisung didn’t cry the entire time during the interview, then that’s about to change right now: Sunho’s sincere smile makes his heart ache, and he feels extremely touched. 

_It’s extremely lucky to have you._ At that time, Jisung is sure that he’s the lucky one; but knowing that there’s someone out there that thinks the other way around, he feels a sense of comfort.

* * *

The day of the company evaluation arrives and Jisung wishes both a surge of willpower to get him through as well as a deep sinkhole to bury himself into. 

The company allowed him to spend the past couple of days in his home, and his mom made sure to get him to eat what seemed like two years of nutrients. Though, no matter how much he wants to spend his last days in town resting and relaxing, he still chooses to wake up at five in the morning to rehearse his presentation over and over.

It’s a bright eight in the morning when the company car picks him up. Jisung lets his parents kiss his cheeks goodbye because he knows he’ll regret it in the future if he doesn't, once the homesickness starts kicking in. That is, if he manages to stay long enough in the show to actually feel distant.

He listens to only his instrumental during the car ride with the hopes that it will all come out naturally later. Jisung doesn’t even notice that they have already arrived at the building until the driver stops the engine by the parking lot. He removes his earphones, but he can still hear the rhythm of the instrumental lingering in his ears.

It’s not Jisung’s first time in the company. The first time he was here, Sunho interviewed him, and then a few moments after, he was asked to showcase his talent in a dark room. They said those clips will be shown to the show trainers before the official start of the season, and Jisung remembers both the perseverance and desperation that reflected in his performance (truth be told, it was courtesy of Sunho saying that the show is lucky to have him there).

However, it _is_ his first time in the actual studio—the one with the staircase and chairs that will lead you to your dream debut. He is ushered to what seems like one of the holding rooms for trainees, and it’s only when they told him to wait inside that it finally sinks in him that he’s all alone.

The walls are thin, and Jisung can hear faint sounds of chatter coming from either side of the room he’s in. He walks over to the right and hears footwork and a steady counting beat. _Practicing,_ he concludes. He should do that too while waiting. He then strides to the opposite side and he feels his heart ache the instant he hears the sound of laughter.

Sure, Jisung doesn’t really havet trainees he would consider as “friends” in 19 ENT. He’s a latecomer, after all. They already grouped themselves into companions before he can even join. Plus, they’re all older than him. Though most of them are nice, Jisung can’t shake the thought of them resenting him for being the one sent out to Produce 101 out of his head.

Still, it must be nice to have a companion.

Jisung decides to make use of his time and rehearse his performance once more, knowing that the trainers and trainees will pay more attention to him because he will be performing alone. He stops when he no longer hears the group of people from his left, which means that they have been taken to the interviewing session which will then bring them to the studio proper. He sits on the floor and decides to make use of his remaining time to reply to his Mom’s worried texts.

After a few minutes, someone knocks on the room door. The same assistant that ushered him to the room appeared by the doorway. “It’s your turn.”

Jisung gets up on his feet and lets her lead the way.

When he steps into a small space with the walls all painted white, the scene clicks in his head. There’s a wooden stool in one side of the room and three staff members on the other side. The only one that greets Jisung is who he assumes is the director, while the other two are fixing their equipment.

“Hi,” Jisung greets.

“Hello,” the director responds, gesturing to the stool. “Take a seat.”

Jisung does what he’s told and sits at the stool. Unlike Sunho, this director does not opt to start with a small, casual conversation and simply gets straight to the point. He knows the questions he’s going to get are less personalized than the ones he just answered with Sunho, wondering if this is another one of those filler clips they can use to make the allotted cut.

“What grade do you think you’ll have?” The director asks right away, reading the first sentence on his script.

Jisung pauses, wondering how this will all turn out. Truthfully, he wants an A. However, he wrote on his form that he thinks he’ll receive a B grade, and that might stir _something_ in the video editing directors. He also doesn’t want to embarrass himself if, god forbid, he does horrible on the evaluation because the show will have the perfect excuse to make his segment cut ridiculous.

In the end, he settles with the answer on his form. “B.”

The director nods. And then, “Why not A?”

Jisung gulps. “Uh…” he begins unintelligently. “As much as I’d like to receive an A, I don’t think I can commit to that grade, at least in my perspective. I still have a lot to learn, and I acknowledge that. Though, if the trainers think otherwise, I’ll still gladly accept whatever they give me.”

That leaves an impressed smile on the director and the rest of the crew. Jisung mentally applauds himself.

They proceed to ask him a few more questions, surprisingly not much about his senior groups, and then after that the same assistant returns to usher him to the studio.

With every step he’s taking, Jisung can feel the loud _thump thump thump_ of his heart. The assistant then leaves him by a pathway, instructing him to walk straight ahead and then wait for the stage directors to let him enter.

He does what he’s told, and soon enough, he reaches an all too familiar hall. Granted, he’s only seen it in the previous seasons through the screen, but he skips in delight as he recognizes the room. 

“Wow,” he says out loud, the feedback from his lapel reverberating in the room. “It looks both so similar and different from the one in the television.”

Jisung takes this opportunity to give a good impression to the viewers. He scans the room and waves at the first camera he sees. “Hi there! How are you doing?”

He then strikes a few funny poses, letting out a genuine laugh along the process.

“Please write on the wall,” a staff director says from outside the frame.

Jisung blinks. “Which wall?”

He follows the director’s pointed finger and lets out a “Wow…” the instant he sees the wall. It has the Produce 101 logo in the middle, and then surrounded by it are messages from the trainees that came before him, written by what seemed like a permanent marker. As if on cue, he spots a sharpie by the little stool beside the wall.

Jisung decides to read a few of the messages on the wall first.

_“I’m going to debut and be the next Bang Chan!”_

_“I will be the one of the greatest idol dancers of this generation.”_

_“It’s about time I chase my dream.”_

_“CRVTY ENT warriors, fighting!”_

That one makes Jisung’s heart ache a bit. It’s another reminder that he’s alone.

He takes the sharpie and writes his own message, pouring his dreams out in those few words.

_“They will remember my name.”_

* * *

He stays in that place for a few more minutes, practicing to himself while waiting for the directors’ cue. He also warms his voice up, flinching when he hears a slight crack with his high note and mentally hoping that the camera did not catch that.

(It did, and he knows that, and he knows it will be on the episode cut, but he’s going to ignore that for now.)

He almost finishes his performance when the director finally gives him the cue to go inside. They gave him a large rectangular paper with his company label and name to stick on his front before giving him the final directions.

Jisung takes a deep breath, wondering how many people are already inside as he walks down the hall. He hears chatter from the other end, but as he nears the opening, the voices begin to quiet down.

And after a few more steps, he finds himself in _the_ studio.

“Wow,” he breathes out, unable to resist himself.

There is a big smile on his face as he scans the room, taking in the sight that he used to see only in televisions.

The staircase is much bigger and grander in real life. Jisung doesn’t know the material it is made of, but he knows it makes it look extremely pristine. He’s not even sure if it’s just the light that makes it seem like the entire staircase is glowing, or if the staircase is _actually_ glowing. What seems like a hundred chairs are evenly distributed on every step, bearing their number labels. Ten of them are situated at the higher steps with fancier cushioned chairs and glittering labels. However, the one that catches Jisung’s attention the most is the chair at the very top of this pyramid staircase. The number “1” in a flashing gold font is staring right at him as it rests on what Jisung thinks resembles an expensive throne.

 _The first placer,_ Jisung thinks. _The Center._

The first activity of any season of Produce 101 always starts like that. There are a hundred and one seats, labeled from 1 to 101, with the largest number at the bottom and the smallest number at the top. These numbers symbolize someone’s ranking in the show. And the ones on the upper steps, the ten cushioned chairs and the one throne at the top, are the seats of those who will be able to make their debut through Produce 101, with the one on top taking the center position.

Usually, it’s the votes of the viewers that determine where you sit. Produce 101 takes pride in their viewer inclusion policy where they let people vote for the eleven trainees they want to debut for the next twelve episodes. If you’re lucky (and, to be honest, _pretty),_ you’d be sitting in one of the debut chairs every ranking announcement.

However, before the voting and training period begins, the one hundred and one trainees will meet in the studio with the staircase of chairs, and you have the liberty to sit wherever you want.

Jisung regards the people who entered the studio before him. All of them are standing as a form of greeting him. He bows respectfully and greets them back. 

“Hello!” he says as cheerful as he can. 

After they exchange a few more hello’s and hi’s, they sit down and watch Jisung find a vacant chair. He realizes he’s one of the early trainees, considering the small amount of occupied seats. There’s a group of trainees from the same company seated in the middle row, a few pairs of trainees seated beside each other, and then trainees like him who are alone in representing their company scattered around the staircase.

Jisung greets the people he passes by as he makes his way to the seat with the big number “14” plastered on it. The fancy chairs for the first to eleventh ranks seem comfortable and inviting, but Jisung thinks he shouldn’t be aiming for those places yet, at least not today. He settles with “14” because one, it’s not low and it’s a bit close to the debut cut off, and two, because his birthday falls on the fourteenth.

There are no trainees beside him, so he doesn’t have to make any social interaction.

As soon as he’s seated, the logo of 19 ENT shown on the wide screen is replaced by his trainee shot and the rank he wrote on his form. A collective “ohh” is heard across the room when they see the “B” under Jisung’s face.

“Huh?” he wonders out loud. “B’s not that high.”

A trainee from a few seats below him seems to have heard him and answers him. “You’re the first trainee to say B. It’s the highest so far, I think.”

“Oh,” Jisung responds. “Are you the first trainee to come in?”

“Second,” the trainee tells him. “First trainees to come in are those group of people from CRVTY over there. They told me they all wrote C’s though.”

Jisung nods in understanding. “What grade did you write?”

“I wrote a C too,” the trainee replies. “So far, it’s all C’s and D’s. I guess we all lack the confidence yet.”

“Perhaps,” Jisung muses. “But when the big companies arrive later, we’ll be seeing a lot of A’s.”

The trainee nods in agreement. “I think so too.”

Jisung sends him a small wave. “Han Jisung, by the way.”

“I know,” the trainee chuckles. “You were just introduced. I’m Keum Donghyun.” He gestures to his own label in front of his shirt. 

Jisung nods. “Nice to meet you.”

Donghyun smiles. “You too.”

 _That didn’t go bad,_ Jisung thinks as Donghyun goes back to looking at the screen. _He’s pretty friendly. I can talk to him._

It doesn’t take long until another agency’s logo flashes on the screen. Jisung raises his eyebrows at the immediate recognition.

“Drippin Entertainment,” he reads out loud.

Soon enough, a group of four people comes out of the hall. Just like Jisung, they greet everyone already in the studio and then proceed to take the vacant seats beside Donghyun. Donghyun immediately strikes a conversation with one of them, and soon enough Jisung can hear them laughing and cracking jokes.

Jisung pouts. _Someone already stole my potential best friend._

He laughs it off, knowing that more trainees will enter soon.

A few more trainees from various agencies arrive, and Jisung looks at each one of them with hope, wishing that someone will take the only seat beside him and make him feel less alone. He sees Donghyun and his new friend now talking happily, and he feels even more envious.

Jisung then sends a prayer to the sky to _please_ give him a friend already in the next trainees that will enter the studio. He’s willing to take anyone at this point, may it be someone old enough to be his dad’s younger brother or someone young enough to be _his_ younger brother. Just so that he’s not lonely anymore.

Apparently, the heavens are listening to him, but Jisung should have known that there is a catch.

“Oh!” he hears Donghyun’s friend say. “It’s WOW Entertainment.”

They immediately turn their attention to Jisung, and so do the other trainees in the other seats. Jisung simply smiles at them.

WOW Entertainment and 19 Entertainment have always been rivals when it comes to the groups they debuted. Although Gugudan is one of the most successful girl groups, their target audience overlaps with that of WOW Entertainment’s Fromis 9. Ever since then, 19 Entertainment and WOW Entertainment have always been each other’s competition.

Just then, one trainee walks out of the hall, and everybody immediately reacts in awe.

Standing on the entrance is the prettiest guy Jisung has ever seen in his life. The trainee puts all his past crushes combined to shame.

First of all, he’s good looking. He has plump lips and sharp cheeks and pretty eyes which turn into crescents every time he smiles. The pretty mole under his eye even adds up to his appeal. Plus, he’s tall. _Definitely_ taller than Jisung.

“Wow…”

“Dear god…”

“Is he a real human being?”

“I will trade my voice for his face. I wish to be reborn again.”

Jisung can hear all sorts of positive reactions from the trainees in the room. He did not even get those reactions out of them when _he_ came in. They just smiled at him politely.

Jisung wonders if this trainee is just as remarkable when it comes to his talents. What if he’s even better at rapping and singing than Jisung?

Worst, what if he’s a great dancer?

Jisung grimaces. He watches the trainee eye the still vacant chair at the very top reserved for the first placer, wondering if said trainee is brave enough to go there.

However, just like Jisung, he ignores the top chair and goes for the other ones.

It’s already one thing that they’re rival agencies. Now, they will _definitely_ be compared if the pretty trainee stands anywhere near Jisung. 

_It’ll be fine,_ Jisung thinks. _It’s not like he’s sitting next to me anyway._

The trainee moves to Jisung’s area. He suddenly feels alarmed.

 _Don’t sit beside me,_ Jisung helplessly thinks. _Please don’t sit beside me._

The tall trainee spots the vacant seat beside him.

 _Oh no,_ Jisung pleads in his mind. _Do not sit beside me._

The trainee’s eyes light up.

 _Please,_ Jisung is mentally begging at this point. _If there’s a God out there, please—_

The trainee sits beside him.

_Well, fuck._

Donghyun sends him a wink. Jisung forces a smile.

“Hi!” The trainee greets him brightly. “I’m Hwang Hyunjin.”

Jisung glances at the sticker on his shirt, and then to the screen, and then to the wide smile on Hyunjin’s face. “Yeah, I know,” he gestures to his own sticker. “Han Jisung.”

“Oh,” Hyunjin looks at the company name on his label. “19 Ent?”

“Yup.”

Hyujin smiles wider. “That’s awesome! My seniors told me that we’re all friends with the trainees and idols from 19 Ent.”

Jisung almost chokes on his spit.

“They told you that?” he asks Hyunjin.

“Yeah, they did.” Hyunjin replies. 

“Ahhh…” is all Jisung says before turning to look back at the screen. Hyunjin’s information is flashed on the screen. Under his _unbelievably_ attractive headshot, there’s a big “B” similar to Jisung’s.

“B…” Jisung wonders out loud.

“Yeah,” Hyunjin muses. “I’m not good enough to be A yet, I think. I mean… I know I’m a great dancer—“

_Oh, dear god._

“—but in terms of the other fields…” Hyunjin trails. “I’m not quite at that level yet. I’m settling with B for now. I also don’t want to disappoint myself.”

Jisung nods in agreement. “I wrote B for mine too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Unlike you,” he tells Hyunjin. “I lack in the dancing department.”

That surprises the other guy. “Really?”

Jisung chuckles. “Why?”

Hyunjin shrugs. “My first impression of you was a dancer.”

“A dancer?!”

“Geez, why do you make it sound like that’s a bad thing?”

“Nothing,” Hyunjin tells him. “I mean, most of the dancers in my agency are just like you.”

Jisung blinks. “What is it about me?”

There’s a pause, and Hyunjin quickly looks away from Jisung and stares at the now blank screen. “Nothing!”

However, Jisung already caught Hyunjin sizing him up before the other guy even reverted his gaze. “I’m not short!”

“I never said you were!”

“You were implying it!”

“I—“ Hyunjin stammers, flailing his long arms towards the screen. “I was looking at that thing!”

“Oh, come on—“

His words get cut off when a new logo appears on the screen. Both Jisung and Hyunjin squint at it, trying to identify which company it is.

“Know that logo?” Hyunjin asks.

Jisung shakes his head. “It’s familiar, though.”

“It could be from a small company,” Hyunjin muses.

A pair of unfamiliar trainees walk in. Jisung reads the company label above their names on their stickers. “ATZ Ent? Why does that sound familiar?”

Hyunjin looks lost for a while, but then his mouth forms an “o” shape and his hands begin to repeatedly hit Jisung’s arm. “It’s the new entertainment founded by Kim Hongjoong! The soloist!”

“Oh!” Jisung exclaims. “They must be good then. Kim Hongjoong is an ace.”

Indeed, the two trainees from ATZ Ent took the second and third placer seats. Still, the seat for the first placer remains vacant. Jisung wonders if it will even be filled, or if it will become the last resort for the last trainee.

“Nobody seems to want to sit on the top chair,” he thinks out loud.

“Yeah,” Hyunjin agrees. “I think we’re all scared.”

Jisung nudges him. “Why didn’t you go for it?”

Hyunjin sputters. “I didn’t even write an _A_ on my profile and you expect me to go for the top seat?”

“Fair enough.”

The profiles of the ATZ trainees are then flashed on the screen. There’s a small, collective gasp among the trainees, but it’s still nothing compared to the reaction they had when Hyunjin came in.

“They’re very handsome,” Jisung states the obvious. “Especially the blond.

“Mmm…” Hyunjin observes. “Why did they write _D_ though?”

Jisung shrugs. “You’ll never know. Remember Lee Minho from the past seasons?”

Hyunjin lets out a low whistle. “Of course. He wrote _F_ for what he thinks will be his grade, right?”

“Yeah,” Jisung says, remembering the shock he felt while watching that episode. “He got _extremely_ roasted by the trainers for writing that, and yet look at him now. He debuted through Produce 101.”

“God, he’s so cool…” Hyunjin wistfully remarks. “Very handsome too. Also, have you seen his dance?”

“Oh god, yes. I wish I could dance like him.”

As they start to talk more while more and more trainees are filling in the room, Jisung thinks it’s not so bad that Hyunjin sat next to him. Sure, they will be compared eventually, and that would _suck_ because Hyunjin’s level of prettiness is extremely out of this world’s scale, but at least he’s no longer alone. They laugh at jokes and they talk about their expectations with the show and the incoming trainees and they also talk about their dreams.

“Why are you alone?” Hyunjin asks him while the trainees from BNM Ent are finding their seats. “I mean, why did they send you alone?”

“I can ask you the same thing.”

“Yeah, but the thing is I asked first.”

Jisung sighs. “I don’t know, actually. They all held this big audition and I just did what I wanted to do. Eventually, they selected me to participate here. Didn’t really know I was coming alone. What about you?”

“Ah…” Hyunjin purses his lips for a bit before continuing. “I wasn’t really going to participate. However, you know the “controversial” season?”

“Which one?”

“Season 4. With the girls.”

“Oh, yeah,” Jisung says. He thinks for a while, and then, “Wait, Lee Kaeun is from your company!”

Lee Kaeun was a strong competitor in the fourth season of Produce 101. She has always been in the top 10 during all the rankings, but in the final episode, she places fourteenth, which makes her unable to debut.

“Yeah, she talked to me when she found out that WOW Entertainment was trying to compete in Produce again. You see, they asked for volunteers and no one stepped up. Though, I guess she saw me almost raising my hand during the meeting so she pulled me aside and talked to me and let’s just say I cried.”

Jisung snickers. “You cried?”

“Hey!” Hyunjin sticks his tongue out. “I’m pretty sure you cried for her too when you watched her not make it to the final debut line up.”

Oh, Jisung bawled a _river_ that time.

“But yeah, she told me to win what she couldn’t,” Hyunjin says this more seriously. “So I told her I’d do it. I marched up to our manager the next day and told him I’m volunteering to participate in Produce 101 and the next thing I know I’m being trained and then being surrounded by cameras and then being seated next to you.”

Jisung lets out a low whistle. “That’s a big promise. And a big responsibility.”

“Yeah…”

“You have to make it to the final lineup.”

“Yeah…”

“You have to be _the_ Center.”

“Yeah, no, let’s not dream too big.”

Jisung chuckles. “Speaking of center,” he looks back at the vacant top chair again. “Is no one really going to take that? You know, I was looking forward to witnessing a showdown over who gets to sit there.”

Hyunjin’s eyes widen. “You do know everything you say is being filmed, right?”

They both turn to the nearest camera filming them and proceed to flash their biggest smiles.

“More screen time for me then!” Jisung says, winking. 

Hyunjin laughs. “You’re crazy.”

As more trainees arrive, more seats are getting filled up as well. The upper half is almost full already, and the debut chairs are already occupied, except for the top chair for the first placer. Jisung sees more familiar companies now, the ones that are generally just big names in Korean agencies and ones that already have a good reputation to uphold when it comes to sending their trainees in Produce 101.

Hyunjin is in the middle of telling Jisung about how he walked in on Fromis 9’s vlive one time when they notice that the new set of trainees that entered the studio are heading up the stairs.

“Oh my god,” Hyunjin whispers.

All eyes are now following what seemed like a group of five trainees. Jisung turns to the screen to see which company they’re from.

_Sky Entertainment._

“IZ*ONE’s agency…” Jisung wonders out loud, looking back at the trainees.

Everybody is now holding their breath as they watch the five people take closer steps towards the only vacant seat at the top.

“But there’s five of them…” Hyunjin tells Jisung in a low voice. “How are they going to sit in one chair?”

“Beats me,” Jisung replies. “But I want to get some popcorn right now. This is going to be something else.”

Jisung is expecting a showdown, at least. Or maybe the other company members are there just to support the one teammate who’s actually aiming for the seat. He silently hopes it’s not the latter, because then there would be no entertainment.

Unfortunately, the latter _does_ happen.

Everybody in the studio laughs as the trainees of Sky ENT take turns in sitting by the first placer’s chair, and once everybody’s done, they all descend down the stairs to the bottom vacant rows to finally sit down.

“Why didn’t I do that?” Hyunjin moans, slouching on his seat. “It must be my only chance to experience sitting on _that_ chair. I’ll never get to sit there.”

Jisung shrugs. “We can try after the filming?”

Hyunjin snickers. “As if they will allow that. Do you—hey…” the other guy trails off, eyes widening. 

Gasps are then suddenly heard in the room.

“What’s wrong?” Jisung asks, following Hyunjin’s line of sight. His own eyes widen when he discovers the source of the surprised reactions. “No way…”

One of the five trainees is coming back upstairs, heading towards the chair at the top. Jisung momentarily checks back at his groupmates, and then back to the trainee who looks very determined to reach the first placer’s throne. It’s not long until the trainee finally takes the seat and officially occupies it. The staircase then starts to glow, and a blaze of light flashes along the steps, indicating that someone has staked his claim on the most coveted seat in Produce 101.

“Wow,” Jisung marvels. “He has an iron will. Can you see his nametag? I can’t read his name.”

Hyunjin nods slowly, mouth still slightly open. “Kim Seungmin.”

“What?”

“That’s his name,” Hyunjin nods towards the boy at the top. “Kim Seungmin.”

“You have good eyesight.”

“It’s the contacts.”

The wide screen flashes Sky ENT’s trainee’s profiles, and Jisung immediately reads Kim Seungmin’s. He almost stumbles in his seat, and from the bewildered look on Hyunjin and everybody else’s faces, he knows he’s not alone.

“A…” Hyunjin trails. “He wrote an A for the grade he wants.”

Jisung looks back to Kim Seungmin, who’s now staring straight ahead like he actually owns the spot. For some reason, Seungmin looks down and meets Jisung’s gaze, and Jisung quickly averts his eyes. With Seungmin at the very top, it feels like Jisung is looking down at him.

A few more trainees enter, but none of them have managed to shock the crowd just as much as Kim Seungmin has. Jisung already notes that the guy is probably a huge competitor, and that he should be mindful of him. Everybody seems to be still in the aftermath of the first place seat being taken until a familiar logo is flashed on the widescreen again.

From the corner of his eye, Jisung sees that even Kim Seungmin is surprised.

_NCT Entertainment._

“Oh my god, they’re actually joining!” Jisung hears Hyunjin say.

“What do you mean?”

“You know how idols who have already debuted are going to join?”

“Yeah.” To be honest, Jisung thinks it’s a little bit weird. But then again, he doesn’t know their entire situation so he does not have strong opinions about it.

“I heard a couple of members of Dream are participating,” Hyunjin nods when he sees Jisung’s eyes widen. “I’m not even joking. I was surprised too.”

Jisung frowns. “But I thought Dream are doing well?”

Hyunjin shrugs. “Apparently not.”

As if on cue, two all too familiar boys come out of the hallway. Jisung has seen their faces in music videos and music shows before, though not as frequent as the other groups. Dream isn’t _that_ much of a big group, but they’re still known. That’s why Jisung recognizes the two of them.

Huang Renjun and Lee Jeno.

“They seem more composed than the previous trainees that entered,” Hyunjin whispers. “It must be because they debuted.”

“They’re really pretty,” Jisung says, unable to ignore the observation. 

“Of course,” Hyunjin agrees. “Everybody in Dream is pretty.”

Jisung raises an eyebrow. “You’re a fan?”

Hyunjin shakes his head. “But I know them.”

For a while, both Jeno and Renjun just stand there on the platform, scanning the studio. The available seats aren’t that many anymore, and most of them are at the bottom with the bigger numbers. Jisung spots one of them—Renjun—eyeing the top. He then turns to Seungmin. The guy is giving the two Dream members a levelled gaze.

“I think one of them will challenge Kim Seungmin,” Jisung tells Hyunjin in a low voice. “I have a feeling it’s Renjun.”

Hyunjin shakes his head. “Look, they’re heading to the last seats.”

Indeed, Jeno and Renjun settle for the seats with the big “100” and “101” labels on them. Their profiles flash on the screen. There are two big “A”s under their head shots.

From beside him, Hyunjin sighs. “That’s the confidence of someone who debuted already.”

“That’ll be us soon…” Jisung says, more to himself than to Hyunjin, to be honest.

"So we have trainees who debuted already that will be participating with us,” Hyunjin muses. “Didn’t they also call for individual trainees?”

The most recent season of Produce 101 with the girls received a lot of attention because of the opening of individual trainees. One of them even made it to the debut lineup with a high rank.

“Yeah,” Jisung replies. “But I heard the competition was tough. More than a thousand people tried out, but only five were accepted.”

“Wow… those five people are lucky.”

“Talented,” Jisung corrects. “Very, _very_ talented.”

As if on cue, the words “Individual Trainees” flash on the screen, and out came the five boys they were just talking about. Hyunjin nudges his side and proceeds to ramble on about coincidence, while Jisung nods along and at the same time observes the trainees. Seeing the way they huddle together but still keep a few distance in between them, Jisung concludes that they don’t really know each other, but they’re taking the closest they can get as a companion.

Jisung looks sideways towards Hyunjin who now has taken interest in the trainees. Hyunjin is definitely going to be more than just a companion, Jisung thinks. A friend, perhaps.

“He’s cute,” Hyunjin whispers as the individual trainees scramble to find vacant seats.

Jisung tries to follow where his eyes are looking. “Which one?”

“Blond with freckles in the white polo,” Hyunjin says dreamily. “He’s my pick.”

Jisung laughs. “You’re already whipped.”

“I’m just saying he’s cute!”

“Yeah, but he’s also the first trainee you called cute ever since you got here.”

Hyunjin shrugs. “Not my fault he caught my eye,” he squints at the now seated trainees at the bottom row. “Ugh, I missed his nametag.”

Jisung gestures to the screen. “You’ll find out his name soon.”

The profiles of the individual trainees get flashed on the screen, and Hyunjin marvels in awe at the five, innocent faces looking back at them, particularly at the blond guy he pointed out.

Jisung raises an eyebrow at the name. “Lee Felix, huh? An English name?”

“Most likely his stage name,” Hyunjin says. “Awww… he wrote a C for the grade he wants! I hope he does well in the evaluations.”

Jisung hopes they _all_ do well with the evaluations.

Eventually, a few more trainees arrive, most of them gaining a bigger reaction from the crowd because of the agencies they came from. However, nobody seems to be going after the spot at the first place, and from time to time, Jisung looks back to where Kim Seungmin is sitting just because he’s curious how the guy handles being at the top.

“One last trainee,” Hyunjin tells him, pointing at the remaining vacant seat with his lips. “There is nowhere else to sit other than seat 85.”

“Or,” Jisung glances back at the top seat. “They can try for number one, whoever they may be.”

“There’s actually a big chance of that happening…” Hyunjin muses. “They usually save the best trainees for last. I’m pretty sure whoever comes out of that hallway next is going to be someone remarkable.”

The last company logo flashes on the wide screen. Jisung squints at it.

_Fox Entertainment._

“Fox…” Hyunjin reads out loud. “Which artists are from Fox again?”

“Uhh…” Jisung is now racking his brain. “I can’t think of any groups. But I _can_ think of one trainee.”

Hyunjin’s eyes light up. “Oh! I think I know who you’re talking about. The one from Season 5. Yang Jeongin.”

“Yeah, him,” Jisung confirms. “Did you know I _actually_ cried for him when he got eliminated? Not because I was attached to him but because… it was just so sad…”

Hyunjin nods. “I think the entire nation cried for him. Remember the petitions to bring him back?”

“Yeah, I think I signed one or two of those,” Jisung says. “God, that was such a mess. He was doing so well in the rankings and then he dropped out of the top twenty.”

“I know!” Hyunjin exclaims. “I couldn’t even get over it for weeks.”

“But who knows,” Jisung adds. “This trainee that they sent must also have the same goal as you. I mean, you with Lee Kaeun and then him with Yang Jeongin. Right?”

Hyunjin doesn’t speak.

“Right?” Jisung repeats.

Still none.

Jisung groans. “Hyunjin, did you hear me?”

Hyunjin only points at the entrance of the hallway weakly.

It is only then that Jisung realizes that the entire studio has fallen quiet. Silence has always been the loudest sound Jisung has ever heard, and this is no exception. It feels like the mood has dropped, like someone just announced that the show is cancelled, like someone just died.

It is only then, as well, that Jisung understands why.

Standing there by the entrance of the hallway, a familiar smile resting on his face, the last trainee to join Produce 101 is no other than Yang Jeongin.

”Oh my god,” Jisung says. “This cannot be real.”

Yang Jeongin was a participant of Produce 101 Season 5, and a pretty popular one at that. He has a personality that will make you attached to him, no matter what, and when he got eliminated in the episode before the finale, the entire nation was devastated. Jisung was included in that narrative.

And now, said person that he actually shed tears for is standing right there for the second time around, regarding every trainee’s shocked expressions with a warm smile.

“Hi everyone!” Jeongin greets brightly like of course, this is just a normal happening.

“Hi…” Jisung mumbles alongside the murmurs of responses around the room. Subconsciously, he turns to check Kim Seungmin after that. The guy is now clutching the sides of his chair, eyes looking directly at Yang Jeongin.

“He’s challenging to debut again,” Hyunjin finally speaks up after a long time.

“I guess that’s the case,” Jisung says. “But why does he have to compete when _we’re_ competing? He already has a lot of advantage.”

Hyunjin sighs. “That’s Produce 101 for you. It’s never really fair, not really.”

Hyunjin’s statements suddenly alarm Jisung. “You can’t just say that here!”

“I can, actually,” Hyunjin says. “It’s the truth. Also, they probably won’t include it in the editing.”

“Of course they wouldn’t,” Jisung mutters under his breath, now bringing his focus back on Jeongin.

Jeongin looks at the remaining vacant seat, and then to the top where Seungmin is staring down at him. His grin grows wider, and it makes Jisung think that he will _actually_ go for the top spot. It’ll be the first challenge that Jisung will witness that day.

However, Jeongin only offers Seungmin a curt nod before proceeding to seat 85, the only vacant seat left.

Jisung blinks. “Wh—“

“What seat did he take in Season 5?” Hyunjin suddenly asks. “Do you remember?”

“No, why would I?”

“Well, you said you cried for him.”

“So did you. Look, I don’t even remember the seats my previous picks chose in the previous seasons of Produce 101.”

“Fair enough.”

Jeongin’s profile flashes on the screen, and it takes the entire room by surprise as well.

Hyunjin looks like he’s seen a ghost. “Did he really write an F for the grade he thinks he’s going to get?”

“I know, I can’t believe it too…” Jisung says. “That is extremely weird. Wait, he never got a grade F in the previous seasons.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

“Well!” Jisung hears Donghyun from below him say. “This season is going to be something else.”

Jisung senses nothing but the truth in that statement.

There are individual trainees with infinite potential enough to be placed in this competition.

There are idols who have already made their debut challenging yet another try at stardom.

There are previous Produce 101 contestants who will take their second chance and try the race again.

There are trainees who are either extremely good looking that they can blow the audience away with their smiles, which means that viewers will most likely vote for them and give them a higher rank.

There are trainees who have a backbone much stronger than him, who have incredible determination to be brave enough to sit at the very top of the staircase.

And then, there’s him. Jisung.

He remembers Sunho’s words, as well as the thing he wrote at the wall before entering the studio, and then he starts to worry.

_Will they really remember my name?_

* * *

Once everybody is settled on their seats, the main director of the entire series gives them a briefing of what they’re about to enter. At first, Jisung assumes that the director will be an old, little man with a permanent sneer on his face just like the previous seasons, and once again he’s taken by surprise when he sees the director looking _nothing_ like that, except maybe for the age part. Director Park Jinyoung insists on being called JYP, which sounds funny on Jisung’s lips.

JYP then tells them about the general mechanics of Produce 101, as well as how filming will work. In short, they have to wear their microphones most of the time. JYP also explains how training will proceed, and when he’s explaining how the entire training period will run for three whole months, he feels Hyunjin tense up beside him.

“You okay?” Jisung asks in a low voice.

Hyunjin nods. “I will be. Just nervous.”

“Well, we have three months ahead of us.”

“You mean we have three months ahead of us assuming we don’t get eliminated early.”

Jisung gulps.

After JYP lays out the entire plan for the season, he then tells them that they are about to meet the representative of the National Producers, who will also be the host for this season. That shifts the mood from gloom and worry to anticipation.

“Who do you think it is?” Jisung asks Hyunjin.

“My guess is Kim Wonpil. Didn’t you see his recent instagram posts? He’s implying that he’s booked,” Hyunjin replies. “So maybe he’s implying that he’s the host.”

Jisung almost laughs. “Okay, that is almost a reach, but I guess I wouldn’t oppose the idea of having Kim Wonpil as the voters’ representative.”

They can hear other speculations as well. Some people are saying it’s going to be an actress like Hwang Eunbi, some say it’s going to be a soloist like Kim Chungha, and some even hope that it’s a popular idol in the industry.

The widescreen flashes the words “Representative of the National Producers” on the screen, and Jisung knows everybody is holding their breaths.

When the host arrives, everybody bursts into amazement.

“No way!” Hyunjin exclaims. “There is _no_ way!”

Standing by the entrance of the hallways is no other than Bang Chan, the first placer of Produce 101 Season 5.

Bang Chan is, in Jisung’s opinion, a cheat code in Produce 101. Though Jisung has only ever watched him from their television back at home, he’s entirely convinced that Bang Chan can carry the entire team on his back. He can sing, he can dance, he can rap, he can write and produce music, he is _very_ pretty and he has great leadership skills. Someone like that will inevitably be part of the final lineup, of course. That is why no one was surprised when he won the Center position during that season. Jisung believes that out of all the first placers in the history of Produce 101, Bang Chan is the most well deserved title holder.

Not only that, but the boy group that formed after Season 5, Yellow Wood, is the most successful project group that the Produce 101 franchise has ever had. They were instant million sellers in just a number of days and they also got their first wins with their debut song. Jisung knows that Yellow Wood has set the bar high for the industry, and he thinks it’s a shame that they aren’t a permanent group. Their contract ended around the time Season 7 finished.

“Oh my god,” Hyunjin sounds like he’s out of breath. “I’m actually seeing _the_ Bang Chan in person.”

“I know!” Jisung couldn’t believe his own eyes as well.

Chan just smiles as the trainees continue to gush about him. Eventually, someone starts clapping and they all break into applause. Chan smiles wider and looks down, and Jisung can’t help but think that he’s _extremely_ cute.

“Can he be my one pick?” Jisung tells Hyunjin. “Seriously. He looks amazing!”

Hyunjin laughs. “And he’s very talented. Certainly didn’t leave some for the rest of us.”

“Hello everyone!” Chan greets when the applause finally subsides.

“Hello!” Everyone greets back enthusiastically.

“I’m Produce 101 Season 8’s National Representative, Bang Chan. Nice to meet you all.”

Everybody starts to clap in appreciation again.

Chan laughs a little bit as well. “When they first asked me to be the host for this season, I was hesitant. But then I remembered all those times when I was the one sitting in your place, and I remembered all the fun and the hardships I went through. I thought that I would be able to empathize with your feeling of determination. Thus, today, I’d like to be a messenger who delivers the emotions and opinions of National Producers as well as a supportive brother. So don’t hesitate to come to me, I’ll be there to help out as much as I can.”

Jisung can’t help but feel touched. 

Even during Produce 101 Season 5, many trainees said that Chan is truly one of the people that they are forever grateful for. Even though they are not in the same team, Chan would always find some time to help them. He also volunteered to be the leader most of the time, and he does a pretty good job at it. He also became the bridge between Korean and international trainees with his multilingual skills. He also felt like a brother to most of them, always hearing them out and giving them advice and simply staying by their side. It was why every single trainee in the final episode of Season 5 cried when Bang Chan won the Center. He deserves it.

And even when they debuted as Yellow Wood, Bang Chan never changed. More people knew about them, and more people recognized him for his big heart. He became the comfort idol for a lot of people, both fans and non-fans alike, because he habitually goes live every week to sit down and talk to them and he creates a safe space for all of them to relax.

Knowing that Jisung is going to be under Bang Chan’s supervision gives him a sense of comfort.

“This is amazing,” he says. Hyunjin nods enthusiastically in agreement.

Chan speaks again. “How many trainees do you think will debut this year?”

Jisung counts the fancy chairs again. And then, along with the crowd, he answers, “Eleven.”

“That’s right!” Chan beams at them. “The eleven trainees with the highest votes in the live announcement of the final rankings will be part of the debut lineup for this season.”

Hyunjin lets out a whistle. “Eleven trainees… out of a total of one hundred and one… Will I even make it?”

Jisung wants to reassure him, but he can’t even reassure himself that he will be part of the lineup.

“Shall we all stand and greet the National Producers who will supervise you from now on?” Chan asks them.

JYP has briefed them about this before. The host will tell them to stand up and greet the viewers, and they will all look at the camera and bow. 

“The one hundred and one trainees of Produce 101,” Chan leads, his back now facing the trainees as he talks to the main camera. “Greet your National Producers.”

“Hello National Producers!” They all simultaneously greet before going back to their seats.

Chan faces them again. “For you to be equipped with abilities befitting a global idol, you need the help of these people.”

Excited murmurs ran across the room.

“The trainers!” Both Jisung and Hyunjin exclaim to each other.

“I can guarantee you that these trainers are the best ones in the history of Produce 101,” Chan tells them with an even bigger smile. “I personally know them well, and I assure you that you guys will be in good hands.”

“I can’t wait!” Jisung tells Hyunjin.

Jisung has always been fascinated with the trainers of Produce 101. They are all well known icons in the industry who are _experts_ on the field they’re coaching, and all of their training genuinely helps the trainees to improve. He is beyond honored to see this season’s trainers in real life, let alone be trained by them personally.

“Let me introduce them to you!” Chan says as the words “Produce 101 Trainers” flash on the screen.

“God, I’m so excited I can explode!” Hyunjin whispers in a high pitched note.

“First, we have your rap and dance trainer,” Chan starts. “He is a famous idol—“

Cheers already erupt from the trainees.

“—who is known for his warm and friendly personality, as well as his commendable skills when it comes to rapping, dancing, and songwriting.” Chan looks at them with a knowing look. “This trainer is a member of SIXC—“

“SIXC!”

“Did I hear that right?”

“There is _no_ way we have a SIXC member as a trainer!”

“Produce 101 is going all out this season!”

“This has to be a dream!” Hyunjin exclaims from beside him.

SIXC is one of the top boy groups today, dominating the charts whether they are promoting or not. Every trainee probably idolizes them, which is why a member of SIXC actually giving his time and effort to coach them is an incredibly great privilege.

“—and will be your rap and dance trainer for Produce 101 Season 8,” Chan says. “Please welcome, Lee Jinhyuk!”

Another round loud of cheers and applause fills the room as the all too familiar idol comes out of the hallway. There is also a collective _“Woah”_ when they finally see him. Lee Jinhyuk is dressed like he’s going to get another music show win, and he is _really_ tall and handsome.

 _“The_ Lee Jinhyuk is going to coach us with rap _and_ dance!” Hyunjin looks like he’s about to faint. “This is such a dream come true. You know, I don’t care if I don’t win this show. The fact that I get to talk to him will be more than enough of a reward.”

Jisung chuckles. “Don’t speak too soon. You might regret it in the future.”

“I look forward to seeing you all grow and have fun,” Jinhyuk tells them. “I’m rooting for all of you!”

“Next up, she’s in the dance and vocal category,” Chan continues. “She is a famous choreographer who is also known for her spectacular modeling and singing skills. Right now, she is also working on becoming a producer for idols, and she has agreed to share her knowledge and time with us for this season.”

“Sounds like an ace,” Jisung says. 

“Everybody welcome Kang Seulgi!”

One of the prettiest women that Jisung has ever seen in his life enters the studio and stands beside Jinhyuk. Hyunjin immediately stands up and cheers, jumping up and down in his place. He looks surprised that Jisung is not doing the same.

“Seriously, do you not _know_ her?” Hyunjin asks it like Jisung just committed a crime.

Jisung shrugs. “I don’t know any choreographers.”

“She’s very popular in the dance industry.”

“Well, I’m not a dancer.”

“She,” Hyunjin points at a waving Seulgi. “will make you one. I can guarantee you that.”

“Hi everyone!” Seulgi greets them warmly. “I’m your dance and vocal trainer, Kang Seulgi. I look forward to working with all of you to help you reach your dreams.”

Everybody cheers in acknowledgement again.

“This one is another well known talented icon in the dance industry. He is known for choreographing for many famous groups and is also acknowledged as one of the top dancers of this country.”

“My _god,”_ Hyunjin breathes out. “Whoever he is, he’s living my dream. Well, except for the choreographer part. I’d rather be the one dancing the choreography, you know, as an idol. But it’d be nice to make your own choreography as well.”

Jisung starts to wonder what’s going on in a dancer’s mind.

“Please welcome, Kim Jongin!”

“No way!” Hyunjin shoots up from his seat again. “Produce 101 is pulling _all_ the best ones.”

“Okay, _him_ I know,” Jisung joins the enthusiastic applause as Jongin enters the room. “He’s friends with a lot of famous idols, right? Like Park Chanyeol, Oh Sehun, Do Kyungsoo…”

“Yes, yes,” Hyunjin says. “Look at him! He’s so pretty…”

Indeed, Kim Jongin stands there beside the other trainers, looking both like a prince charming and that hot assassin you see in action movies. “I’m hoping that we will all have a great time getting to know each other, and that we can all learn something from each other in the process.”

Jisung wishes he can trade his face with Kim Jongin’s.

“And for one more vocal trainer,” Chan goes on. “She has been credited with over 50 songs with her great ability as a songwrite, which most of them are created for her own group’s discography. She is a member of the multi-million selling girl group, Twice—“

“Twice?! Did he say Twice?!”

“This is insane!”

“First, they get SIXC, and now they get Twice?!”

“I’m going to need an autograph, whoever the member is.”

“I’m losing my mind,” Hyunjin breathes out.

“—and will be joining our team to share her knowledge about vocals and songwriting,” Chan smiles. “Please welcome, Yoo Jeongyeon!”

“Jeongyeon!”

“One of Twice’s best vocalists!”

“Oh, I love her voice and lyrics so much!”

“Miss Yoo, please marry me…”

“Hello there, everyone!” Jeongyeon greets the crowd warmly as soon as she arrives inside the studio. “I’m Yoo Jeongyeon, and I will be one of your vocal trainers for this season. I hope we can all take care of each other during our time spent here. Fighting!”

“Fighting!” The trainees yell back.

“Ah, this makes me reminiscent of the time when my own trainers blew me away,” Chan says as Jeongyeon joins Jinhyuk, Seulgi and Jongin. “But of course, there’s one hundred and one of you, and they’re only four. We need more hands on deck. Remember when I told you that I know your trainers personally and very well?”

Jisung leans to Hyunjin’s ear. “I think the next trainers will be the same trainers from his season.”

Hyunjin raises an eyebrow. “Like Taemin and Sunmi?”

“Possibly,” Jisung says, looking at Chan again. “I mean, he looks excited to announce who they are. If they were actually the trainers who trained him in Season 5, which is also the season that produced the most successful project group so far, then this season of Produce 101 is no joke.”

“Definitely.”

“For your last two trainers,” Chan continues. “One of them will be your dance trainer, and the other one will take care of your raps and vocals. These two people are dear friends of mine, and knowing that they’re going to take care of you makes me believe that you are all in good hands.”

Everybody holds their breath in anticipation.

Chan grins. “Globally known as members of Yellow Wood—“

“What?!”

“Yellow Wood?!”

“His own group?!”

“Oh my god, the most successful boy group of Produce 101!”

“So this is what he meant when he said he knows them well!” Jisung exclaims, still in shock. “Because the next trainers were his members in Yellow Wood! His fellow trainees in the fifth season of Produce 101!”

“—I present to you, my dearest friends, Lee Minho and Seo Changbin!”

The cheer that erupts from the crowd is the loudest one so far. 

Two very familiar faces walk in and immediately hug Chan when they enter. The crowd cheers louder at the sight, everybody endeared with the reunion of the boy group members they all look up to. Jisung sees the other trainers looking at the three hugging people fondly.

“They came a long way,” Hyunjin tells him. “They’ve been through a lot. I’m glad they’re happy.”

“Yeah,” Jisung replies. “This is really amazing.”

“Hey there, trainees!” Changbin greets once they pull away.

“Hello!”

“It only feels like yesterday when Minho and I are the ones sitting in your places,” Changbin continues. “And now, we return to Produce 101 as your trainers, and we hope that we can be of help to every single one of you.”

“I know everything feels overwhelming right now,” Minho adds. “But trust me, as someone who’s been there in your position before, even though it doesn’t get easier, it makes you better. I wasn’t even a rapper until I joined Produce 101!”

Everybody laughs at that. Jisung can still remember the episode when their vocal trainer told Minho that he should rap for their concept stage instead, and Minho was extremely flustered that time. Still, he did really well.

“Bottomline is,” Minho goes on. “We are all here to learn.”

“And I hope you also know that no matter what happens in this show, you _will_ reach your dream.” Changbin concludes, and the entire studio cheers again.

“And there you have it, everyone!” Chan beams at the crowd. “Here are your trainers who will guide you on your journey in this show.”

“This is actually happening…” Jisung mutters under his breath. “I am actually a contestant of Produce 101.”

“I know,” Hyunjin says. “I feel like I’m not ready, and I practiced non-stop for days.”

Jisung thinks about that. He’s already pictured this scene before; the start of Produce 101. However, now that he’s actually here, it still doesn’t sink in that it’s no longer a picture in his mind anymore and is actually a reality.

He doesn’t even have time to dwell more on his thoughts when Chan speaks again. “In a few moments, we will start with your first grade evaluation.”

“Oh my god,” Jisung breathes out. “Here it comes.”

“You will be performing on this platform the performances you prepared and then the trainers, which will include me for now,” Chan winks at them. “will give you your first grade as a trainee. I hope everybody is familiar with the grades we give.”

They all nod.

“Trainee Kang Yeosang!”

The pretty blond guy from ATZ Entertainment stands up. “Yes?”

“Can you please tell us what are the grades one can receive during this evaluation stage?” Chan asks him.

“It’s A, B, C, D or F.” Yeosang replies. “A being the highest and F being the lowest.”

“That is right. You may take your seat.” Chan then looks around the room. “The trainers will grade you based on the impressions you will show us, and your overall performance as well. So be sure to do well so that you will be able to get a grade A.”

“Yes!” The trainees all reply.

Chan smiles. “Are we clear about that?”

“Yes!”

“Is everybody ready?”

“Yes!” Jisung is a bit late to answer that one.

“Well then,” Chan says. “Shall we begin with the first grade evaluations?”

“Yes!”

And just like that, the eighth season of Produce 101 starts.

**Author's Note:**

> fuck mnet
> 
> [ ☆ ] next chapter: the grade evaluation!
> 
> be my friend please!! ♡ (i also post spoilers lol)  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/halfmoonjisung)  
> [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/halfmoonjisung)


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